CRAIG Levein arrived in Brussels last night and insisted he is still the best man to lead Scotland.

And the Tartan Army, who have been stunned by a stumbling start to the World Cup campaign, might be even more shocked by Levein’s belief.

All they can see is the quest to reach Brazil staggering towards the buffers but the national boss is adamant he can turn things around.

He said: “All we need is one big performance. One big result, just one. I honestly feel we’re a small fraction away from the one result that will turn everything.”

But the cruel and stark reality is Levein’s Scotland have only two points from three matches. And tonight his side face one of the best teams in Europe.

Belgium can boast players such as Vincent Kompany, Daniel van Buyten, Moussa Dembele and Eden Hazard – and while Scotland were losing to Wales on Friday the Belgians were beating Serbia 3-0.

Serbia, of course, held Scotland to a 0-0 draw at Hampden last month but even so Levein remains defiant.

Asked if he still believed, if he is the man best equipped to do the job, he said: “Yes, I am. I believe I am the person best suited to continue and take this on. I believe in what I am doing.’

Then, in response to a question about his future being the topic of a national debate in pubs, clubs and workplaces, he shrugged and said: “I don’t know about it. Is there a debate?”

If Scotland lose again that debate will have to move to the Hampden boardroom where SFA chief Stewart Regan and president Campbell Ogilvie will be forced to run a critical eye over a campaign which appears doomed.

Levein can only hope his bosses don’t lose faith in him but, barring a win tonight, Regan and Ogilvie will come under severe pressure to axe Levein.

If the Belgians, who are coming good after changing direction 12 years ago, win then Scotland will have two points from four ties.

And that can’t be dressed up as progress even though Levein continues to insist he can see evidence that Scotland are heading in the right direction.

There is no doubt Levein is passionate about the changes being introduced which should produce a better class of young player and he says it would be wrong to keep “chopping and changing managers”.

The system has to change, everyone knows that, but we need a manager who can get the best out of his players. And so far Levein has failed to do that. He keeps telling us his players are capable of winning big matches away from home but there is no evidence of that.

And no matter how much he insists his way is the correct way he will be damned by these results.

“It is about results, yes, I know that,” he said. “I’ve said it a hundred times myself and we’ve had results in our own hands only for them to be snatched away.”

But if ever he needed his players to reach out and grab a result it is right now. Only wins and points can save him.

“We do need that big one,” Levein added.

“I want to be the Scotland manager. I am hugely proud to be in this job. No one works harder but if we don’t get the development system right we’ll still be talking about this in 10 years.”